Support

Amazon Smile

Did you know when you shop on Amazon, you can support East Lyme Rowing Association? It’s easy! Simply go to Amazon Smile, and select East Lyme Rowing Association as your charity of choice, and Amazon will donate 0.5% of your order total to ELRA. Be sure to shop through Amazon Smile, rather than just Amazon, for the donation to be applied to your order.

Click Here to Shop on Amazon and Support East Lyme Rowing Association!

Fundraisers

The East Lyme Rowing Association holds four recurring fundraisers. Details on each event will be posted on our home page in the weeks leading up to the event.

In 2020, we launched our Erg Raffle fundraiser and it continues through popular demand! This is your chance to win a brand new Concept 2 Model D erg (rowing machine). An erg is an exceptional piece of exercise equipment to maintain health for rowers and non-rowers alike. Raffle tickets are purchased online for $10 each or 12 tickets for $100. The erg is shipped directly to the winner, so this is a great fundraiser for supporters from near and far to participate in. The raffle ticket drawing will be held on January 20 at 9:30am at the East Lyme High School. Video of the drawing will be posted on ELRA Facebook and IG. 

Our largest and longest running fundraiser is the Fruit Sale. Pezzello Brothers in New London supplies us with oranges, grapefruits, and combination boxes. Fruit can be ordered online or through order forms supplied by ELRA rowers. This year's pick up day is Saturday, February 25, 2023 from 10am to noon at the East Lyme High School Commons. 

The Smith's Acres Gift Cards are our most recent fundraiser, first started in 2021. Supporters purchase a gift card to the Smith’s Acres shop in downtown Niantic from their local rower for $25. Then they have $25 to spend at Smith's Acres to select produce, plants, pottery, ornaments, greenhouse items and more. Present the gift card to Smith's Acres at checkout. The Crew Team gets a percentage of each gift card sold.

Our Annual Cookie Sale fundraiser takes place in the East Lyme High School commons in early to mid-December. Pick up a box and choose a selection of delicious homemade cookies; you pay by the pound for the sweets. This year's event is on Saturday, December 17, 2022 from 8:30-11:30am is held in conjunction with Cocoa with the Clauses, presented by ELHS Peers Reaching Out (PRO).

Donations

The East Lyme Rowing Association gratefully accepts monetary donations, which are used for the purchase and maintenance of boats, oars, and training equipment. Your contributions help ensure that this unique and rewarding sport is available in the East Lyme public school system.

Safe, secure credit card donations can be made online through PayPal. We also accept cash and checks, which can be mailed to P.O. Box 36, East Lyme, CT, 06333. Checks should be made out to the East Lyme Rowing Association.

ELRA also accepts donations of boats, rowing machines, and rowing equipment.

Other ways to Support the Team

At each race, we set up a food tent for our rowers to enjoy. We always welcome volunteers to set up the tent, donate food or beverages, and clean up at the end of the race. We also welcome monetary contributions to go toward the purchase of food. Sign Up Genius is used to coordinate shifts, with a link sent via e-mail to crew families.

We welcome volunteers to pitch in and help with a variety of other tasks as well. Some roles include driving launches, officiating at the finish line, and manning the EMT station.

Parents of rowers can host pre-race dinners, assist with the award dinner at the end of the season, or pick up shifts at fundraising events via Sign Up Genius. They can also help promote the sport, share photos for use on our website or in presentations, and share new fundraising ideas.

Our board of directors is open to parents and others who are interested in taking an active role in the organization. New members are voted in every two years for two-year terms.